Receptacle-shaking machine



March 1 1927 .1. A. MEEKER ET AL RECEPTACLE SHAKING MACHINE I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. 4

Filed March 5. 1925 March 1 1927. 1,619,526

J. A. MEEKER ET AL RECEPTACLE SHAKING MACHINE 1,619,526 Marc? 1 J7 A. MEEKER ET AL.

RECEPTACLE 'srmxme MACHINE Filed March 192s 5 Sheets-sheen Afro/1w: re.

Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,619,526 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. MEEKER AND EMMETT J. ROACH, OF POTSDAM, NEW YORK; SAID MEEKER I .ASSIGNOR T SAID ROACH.

RECEPTACLE-SHAKING MACHINE.

Application filed March 5, 1923. Serial No. 622,798.

, Milk and milk products are commonly tested to determine the percentage of butter they contain by placing a sample of the milk or product anda prescribed amount of sulphuric acid in a test bottle, which after being shaken to thoroughly mix the liquids, is placed in a centrifugal testing machine and subjected to centrifugal action in carrying out the test, which is well known in the art. This invention relates to a machine adapted for shakingthe test bottles to thoroughly agitate or mix the liquids therein preparatory to the centrifugal test. While the machine herein disclosed as an embodiment of our invention has been designed primarily for shaking test bottles for the purpose stated, the invention is not limited to ma chines for this particular use, but is applicable to machines for shaking receptacles or agitating material for other purposes.

An important object of the invention is to produce a shaking machine of the character stated, which is of very simple and inexpensive, but practical and durable construction, and which will insure a very thorough shaking and mixing of the material in the bottles or receptacles. Other objects, of the invention are to simplify and improve shaking machines in the other respects herein- Y after described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

, Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, on line 1+1, Fig. 2, of atest bottle shaking machine embodying our invention.

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4 -4, Fig. 3, showing the universal or pivotal support for the receptacle carrier.

10 represents a receptacle carrier or member in which the test bottles are placed or by which the receptacle for the material to be agitated is supported, and which is given a wabbling motion to shake and mix the contents of the receptacles or bottles. This carrier in the machine illustrated consists of a circular plate provided with a plurality of openings 11 in which bottle holders, pockets or cups 12 are secured, preferably removably. Each of the bottle holders 12 preferably consists of an open-ended metal cup which is removably retained or supported in one of the openings 11 in the carrier plate 10 by a flange 13 at the upper end of the cup adapted to overhang and rest upon the edge of the opening. -The holders or cups, there fore, can be readily placed in position in the openings in the carrier and removed therefrom to 'dischargeany material which may get into the cups or for cleaning the cups. Each cup is also preferably provided at one side with a tongue or inwardly protruding wall-portion 14 adapted to engage the bottle inthe cup for preventing the bottle from being accidentally dislodged. The carrier or member 10 could be provided with suitable holders of other kind for removable bottles or receptacles, or it could be otherwise provided with one or more receptacles to contain the material to be agitated. j

The carrier or member 10 is loosely 'or movably suspended from an overhead support so that the member can swing around and tilt about its point of suspension, or v have a wabbling motion. Preferably,.the .7 carrier or member 10 is'rigidly secured to a central shaft 15 which extends above and below the carrier and is loosely suspended at its upper end from a suitable support so that the lower end of the shaft can swing around a point eccentric to the axis of the shaft to thereby produce a rotary and vertically tipping motion of the carrier. As shown,- the bottle carrier plate 10 is riveted to a central hub 16 which is secured by a cross pin 17 to the shaft 15, and the upper end of the shaft projects into and is movably supported in a. recess 18inan overhead support 1 9, as for instance by a cross pin 20 which passes through the shaft and is seatedloosely in holes 21 in the support 19 at opposite/sides of the shaft 15. The holes 21' are of larger diameter than the pin 20 so that theshaftis adapted to swing on the pin as a. pivot and also to tilt or swing in a direction at right angles to the direction of its pivotal movement on the pin 20, thereby permitting. the described rotary swinging motion of the lower end of the shaft. Any other form of universal joint or suitable connection per- 0 mitting a similar motion of the shaft could be employed. Y

The support 19 is preferably secured on the upper end of a stationary, upright post 22, which is fixed at its lower end to a suit- 105 able supporting frame '23. The post 22 passes through an opening 24 in the carrier 10 lar e enough to permit the described mo tion of the carrier. The frame 23 shown has a horizontal bottom portion from; which 1 rises a'bracket 25 provided with a laterally projecting, upper portion in which the post of"the' carrier shaft. 15 loosely engages.

Thus',;by rotating the shaft 27, the lower end of the carrier shaft 15 is caused to movein a substantiallycircular .pathof a radius deter mined by the eccentricity ofthe hole 25). Any suitable; driving means may be em ployed for rotating the shaft 27 to ope "ate the carrier. As shown,=the shaft 27 is provided at'itsglower end with a pulley 30 which isconnected by a belt 31 to a larger pulley 32,. on an operating shaft 33 journalled in a suitable bearing or support 34 on a baseboard or base 5, on whichthe sup 'iorting frame 23 for the carrier is secured. This opera'ting'shaft'can be driven either by hand or bypower, as may be desired, and as shown in the drawing, the pulley 32 is provided with a crank handle 36 for rotating the shaft by hand. The operating shaft 33 is also shown as being. provided at its opposite end. with a pulleyBSwhichis connected by a belt 39 to a pulley on the shaft of a suitable driving motor 10. -VVhere a power operated machine is not required, the motor can be omitted. and the receptacle carrier driven by hand by turning the pulley'32 by means of its hand crank.

l Since the receptacle carrier or member 10 is rigidly secured to the shaft 15, perpendicularly thereto, and this shaft is suspended by its upper end, when the lower end of the shaft is moved in a circular path, as incl-- cated, thecarrier 10 is given a combined circulatory and upanddownor wabblingmo- 'tion, each ofthe bottles or receptacles in the carrier participating ilr this wabbling' or rotary and tilting motion. This'insures a very intimate and thorough shaking and mixture of the. contents of the receptacles. It will also be noted that because of the movement of the carrier about its overhead suspension 13011113 at the-upper end of the carrier shaft, the lowerends of'the test bottles have a greater radial motionthanthe ,upperends or necks of the bottles. -As a resultfthe contents tend to-remain" in the bottles and there is not the tendency for the contents to rise into the necks and be thrown out offhe' bottles, which'wou-ld result by an arrangementin which the bottle carrier wabbles about a point belowJthe carrierQand which would result-in a greater radial motion of the upper ends of the bottlesthan of their "lower ends. The described construction "alsomakes it possible to readily place the bottlesinand remove them from their holders while thezmachine is in motion.

lVeclaim as our invention 1: In a machineofthe character described,

:the combination of a receptacle carrier suspended from above so that it is adapted to swingaroundtand tilt about its point of suspenslon, and means for so moving the carrier a receptacle adapted to contain material to be agitated, supported by the carrier and located thereon at one side of' said'point of suspension, 'said' receptacle having an llllperforate bottom andbeing vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the receptacle under agitation action, and the upper portions'of said receptacle receiving less movement than-the lower portions thereof.

'2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a receptacle-carriersuspended fromabove "so that it is 'adaptedto swing around and tilt'about its point of suspension, and means for so moving the carrier, said carrier being constructed to're' movablyretain a receptacle thereolr in a lo cation atone side of said point of suspen sion, said receptacle having an imperforate bottom andbeing vertically extended to "prevent discharge of'the materialfrom'the receptacle under agitation action, 1 and the up per portions of the receptacle receiving less movement than the-lower =portions thereof.

3; In a machine of the character described, the combination of a receptacleearri'ersusaendedfromabove so that itis adapted to swing in an orbit aroundand tilt abo'ut its point of suspension, means for-s0 'moving the carrier, said carrier supporting a receptacleadapted to contain material to be agitated, said receptacle being located to swing in an orbit-eccentric to the orbit of movement of said carrier, and said-receptacle having an imperforate bottom anchbeing vertically extended to prevent.discharge 0f the material from thereceptacle under agitationaction.

4." In a machine of the character "described, the combination of a" receptaclecarrier suspended wfrom: above so that it is adapted to swing inan Olbitill'OUllCl and tilt about its point of suspension; and means for so moving the carrier, said carri'erbeing provided with a pocket located to swingrin an orbit eccentrie to the 'orbit of movement of the carrier and having an open; upper "end and adapted to receive and hold a removable receptacle, and "said receptacle having an im-perforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the receptacle under: agitation action. a

5. In a machine of the"character da scribed, the combination 0f a-receptacle "carrier suspended from above--sor:that it is adapted to swing '.in an orbit: around; and

tilt about its point of suspension, and means for so moving the carrier, said carrier being provided with a detachable pocket located to swing in an orbit eccentric t0 the orbit of movement of the carrier and having an open upper end and adapted to receive and hold a removable receptacle, and said receptacle having an imperforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the receptacle under agitation action.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a shaft movably suspended at its upper portion so that its lower portion can swing around a point eccentric to the axis of the shaft, means for so swinging the shaft, and a receptacle carrier rigid with said shaft below its point. of suspension and supporting a receptacle which is located at one side of said shaft and adapted to contain material to be agitated, and said receptacle having an imperforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the receptacle under agitation action.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a shaft movably suspended at its upper portion, means at the lower portion of the shaft for moving said lower portion in a path around a point eccentric to the axis of the shaft, and a re ceptacle for material to be agitated supported by said shaft and held in substantial 1y fixed relation thereto in a position at one side of said shaft between its point of suspension and said shaft moving means, and said receptacle having an imperforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the receptacle under agitation action.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a shaft movably suspended at its upper portion, means for swinging the lower portion of said shaft in a substantially circular path, and a receptacle for material to be agitated supported by said shaft at one side thereof below its point of suspension, so as to swing in. an orbit eccentric to the circular path of the lower end of the shaft, and said receptacle having an imperforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the mate rial from the receptacle under agitation.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a shaft movably suspended at its upper portion, means for swinging the lower portion of said shaft in a substantially circular path, and a receptacle carrier rigid with said shaft below its point of suspension and provided at one side of said shaft with a holder for a removable receptacle, and said receptacle having an imperforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the receptacle under agitation action.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combinationof a shaft movably suspended at its upper portion, means for swinging the lower portion of said shaft in a substantially circular path, and a receptacle carrier rigid with said shaft below its point of suspension and provided at one side of said shaft with a detachable holder adapted to receive a removable receptable, and said receptacle'having an imperforate bottom and being vertically extended to prevent discharge of the material from the re ceptacle under agitation action.

' JOHN A. MEEKER.

EMMETT J. ROACH. 

